The Lands
The lands of Petroloth are expansive and varied, ranging from treacherous volcanic peaks to lush evergreen forests. Aldriel The primary eastern continent of Petroloth, Aldriel is home to the Sajan Sea, a massive lake at the center of the landmass that has served as home for countless civilizations. It is here beneath the volcanic Mt. Trask that the tykian empire of Ixixi resides, holding much control over the Sea and often trading with the humans, goblins, and thri-kreen that surround it. Across the sea lies the fragmented human empire of Heverok, reduced now to a great collection of dukes and lords all vying for control of the Sea. To the south wars the seafaring bugbear and goblin clans who, when not slaughtering each other, terrorize the shoreside cities of others in return for loot and glory. Far north of them are the united merchant cities of the thri-kreen, known as the Grand Tauric Convention, whose booming economic growth has allowed them to grow apart from their tribal brethren far to the west. In the far eastern mountains of Aldriel are the illithids of Yak’gi, whose attempts at dominating the Ixixians have proven somewhat successful in recent years. Aldriel itself is massive and holds deserts, forests, tundra, just about any biome one could imagine. Gashgrom The smaller landmass of Gashgrom is located to the north of Aldriel and serves as the home for the civilized bugbears of Orzuvar, who, rather than try to rule the goblins, enslaved them. Now in total control of their unruly brethren, the bugbears were able to focus their efforts on raising their kingdom to strength, and have since proven themselves a formidable power in the eyes of the races who once condemned them. Gashgrom itself is a temperate region covered in forests and rolling plains, mostly devoid of mountains. K'Vol The mountainous lands of K’vol were previously unknown to the people of Petroloth, who feared the cold would snatch the life from them should they venture too far north. However, it was discovered that the illithid of Xothoth had emerged here and made it their surface home, and soon relations grew between the uncharted lands of K’vol and the rest of the surface world. The land itself is mostly barren toward the north, but in the south one can find great pine forests that stretch for miles along the coasts. Within these pine forests can be found hardy human colonies and kenku who settled the land for their respective kingdoms shortly after its discovery. Shavahs The great western landmass of Petroloth, Shavahs is home to wild jungles, great swamps, and treacherous mountains. Named by the tykian who know it as their ancestral home, the ones who still reside here are unlike their eastern counterparts, practicing magic in their sorcerous swamp kingdom of Jakokaj alongside their myconid allies. To the south, the illithids of Mel’ktun make their homes on the surface within their hollowed mountains, despised and feared by the myconids to the north. In the far south, the more barbaric thri-kreen tribes make their homes in the cold barrens, hunting large beasts and monstrosities and finding much enjoyment to be had in the hunt. On the western peninsula, the kenku make their homes in the ruined human cities of Geremond, taking on the culture of the deceased inhabitants that once lived there. In the far north, the faithful human kingdom of Netherest resides in the jungles, engaging in religious practices that seem backwards and odd to the other humans of Petroloth. Eldyrn The island mass of Eldyrn is home to temperate forests and the great aasimar/human kingdom of Ilavyrum, a place known for its astounding magical advances and aptitude. The island is believed to hold a great connection to the Conduit, for when the humans first settled this place they found many of their kind to be born as aasimar. Magic is known to be enhanced in this region as well, and it is rather easy for a wizard to call upon their power here. However, due to this connection to the Conduit, the beasts and monsters here have grown to great strength and cunning through mystic evolution. Nozon The northern isle of Nozon is bleak and forlorn, reflecting the inhabitants who call this place home. The Severed make their home here, illithids who were cut from their connection to their Elder Brain and exiled from beneath the earth. Now, these illithids wish to create a hivemind of their own, many of them longing for unity and connection to a greater conscious.